I don’t know about you, but I know I can confess that my prayers are more often requests than praise. Asking rather than thanking. Often it’s about what I want rather than the good things I already have.
Like the lepers who didn’t return to acknowledge Jesus the Healer, I bring my petitions without reflecting on God’s amazing answers.
Last week I read these beautiful words from Isaiah:
“Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.”
Our Faithful God is at work in our lives. Our Eternal God planned gracious blessings for us from even before the earth began (Ephesians 1:4)
It’s easy to notice the good things & praise God when the sun is beaming into our lives. But it’s more difficult when the storms gather. Yet even then, God is above the dark clouds, working all things together. Even then {especially then} our God is worthy of our praise.
At the end of chapter 25, Isaiah looks forward to the ultimate fulfilment of God’s promises:
‘In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”’
(Isaiah 25:9 NIV)
And we will be forever grateful :
‘I can no other answer make, but, thanks,& thanks, & ever thanks’
(William Shakespeare- Twelfth Night)
Blessings,
Ruth x
Blessed! 